Faculty + Staff
Faculty and staff at the University of Alberta are important facilitators of experiential learning opportunities. You might support students as they engage in hands-on learning in classroom, laboratory or research settings. Additionally, you can help support students in finding experiential learning opportunities to apply their academic knowledge within communities and work environments.
How experiential learning benefits students
By participating in experiential learning, students are able to engage in hands-on learning and often, this involves connecting with community or industry partners. You can help students get the most out of these experiences by guiding them to reflect on how their classroom learning translates in practical contexts. This helps to enrich students’ understandings of themselves, their field of study, and their environments beyond the classroom.
How faculty can help students
At the University of Alberta, we are committed to supporting our ambitious students and ensuring that our graduates are not only educated and prepared for professional life, but that they are equipped to tackle the complex social, economic and environmental challenges they might encounter ahead. As faculty and staff, you are integral to this process by creating and organizing meaningful learning experiences for students.
Resources
- Review the Risk Management & Insurance page to ensure any experiential learning opportunities are established with caution and executed safely.
- Review the Health, Safety & Environment website to ensure adequate understanding of necessary health and safety precautions for working in the field and in laboratory environments.
- Connect with the Centre for Teaching and Learning (CTL)! They offer a variety ofsupport for teaching that can help you expand your skills and knowledge needed to deliver exceptional learning experiences. Not sure where to start? Schedule a consultation appointment to learn how they can support you and your teaching.
- For graduate student teachers and postdoctoral fellows, check out the Graduate Teaching and Learning Program to learn how you might enhance your teaching.
- Interested in mentoring a student researcher? Check out the Undergraduate Research Initiative (URI) page to access resources for mentors and supervisors, or to find out how you can encourage your students to get involved in research!
Access the Community Service-Learning (CSL) website to learn more about integrating CSL into an existing course or creating a new course with CSL.